


A New Friendship

by L3writing



Series: MeredithGrey&AndyHerrera [1]
Category: Grey's Anatomy, Station 19 (TV)
Genre: Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 12:54:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28635819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/L3writing/pseuds/L3writing
Summary: Meredith Grey helps one of Seattle's firefighter's from Station 19, one of their own, who needs support and friendship as her father is hospitalized.Sometime late Season 14 of Grey’s Anatomy & Station 19 Season 1 Episode 1Inspired by bobbiejelly ‘99 Problems’
Relationships: Meredith Grey & Andy Herrera
Series: MeredithGrey&AndyHerrera [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2098518
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	A New Friendship

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bobbiejelly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bobbiejelly/gifts).
  * Inspired by [99 Problems](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24192331) by [bobbiejelly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bobbiejelly/pseuds/bobbiejelly). 



  
  


_ “If there's a crisis, you don't freeze, you move forward. You get the rest of us to move forward. Because you've seen worse. You've survived worse, and you know we'll survive too. You say you're all dark and twisty. It's not a flaw, it's a strength. It makes you who you are.” -- Derek Shepherd _

Meredith sees firefighter Andy Herrera breaking down in the hallway of the hospital after finding out her father has cancer. She knew the waiting room was filled with a team of firefighter’s and Captain Pruitt Herrera was in recovery from surgery. As his daughter, she needed her game face on. So Meredith approaches her, “Come with me.”

She leads her into a supply closet saying, “Scream, Yell, Cry! Get it out.”

Standing guard outside the door, Meredith gives Andy Herrera five minutes to get out her daemons. She checks on Captain Herrera’s labs and knows it doesn’t look promising. He’s going to have a battle ahead of him, but if he was like other firefighters he would fight and give it his all. 

“OK that’s enough. Put your game face on, we got your dad. Now go be brave for them,” Meredith says to Andy pointing towards the waiting room of firefighters. She looks at Andy in the eyes as she talks hoping this will give her the focus to go back out and be strong for her family. 

Taking a deep breath, Andy says, “Thanks, I think I can do this.”

“I know you can!” Meredith says as she walks with Andy towards the waiting room. “Do you want me to stay while you talk to them?”

“No I’ve got this, thanks,” she says pulling a weak smile.

* * *

Meredith walks into Capt Herrera’s room at the end of her shift and sees Andy sitting at her dad’s bedside still in her turnout pants. “Come you need to take care of you. He’s sleeping,” Meredith says to the younger firefighter.

“Why do you care?”

“Because I’ve been here at my parent’s bedside. You need to take care of you. This isn’t a sprint, it's a marathon. And the best way to succeed is to take care of yourself.”

“OK.”

“So, let’s get you changed, grab some food and then you can come back here or go home to bed. Dr Bailey can page you if something changes.”

“Fine,” Andy says exhausted. The thought of a shower and some food sounded wonderful. 

* * *

“Capt Herrera, I’m sorry, the tests don’t look good. It’s Stage 2 Cancer, mesothelioma throughout your abdomen,” Bailey says. He knew many firefighters that fought  Mesothelioma, a malignant tumor that is caused by inhaled asbestos fibers and forms in the lining of the lungs, abdomen or heart and knew he had to step down from Captain immediately.

“Thank you Dr Bailey,” he says before she and her medical team leave the room.

“Andrea, I must step down to fight this. Jack will be in charge,” he says, turning towards his daughter, his life.

“What about me?”

“You've never even applied for Lieutenant,” he says, surprised she’s interested.

“I've had to focus on other things, like you,” she replies.

“Me? Andrea…”

“It's Ground Zero over and over. I take care of you, chase you down, watch your back. I've been  pulling you out of the rubble my whole life. But now I know I can lead. I have the skills, I  have the experience, and I want this, Papi. This is my medal. I'm putting my hat in the ring,” Andy says to her father. Pruitt Herrera promoted his daughter to Lieutenant and had Jack and Andy share the leadership role of his Station until his replacement could be found.

* * *

On her way out of the hospital, she ran into Meredith. Realizing who she just ran into, she says, “Oh sorry Doctor Grey.”

“I’m fine. Next time watch where you are going,” Meredith teases in reply. 

“Are you sure you're OK? You hit the wall.”

“Yes. How’s your dad? And you?”

“I just yelled at him to consider me for promotion,” she says.

“Come, let’s grab a coffee,” Meredith says, noticing how panicked Andy looks and leading her to the main entrance to the good coffee cart. After grabbing them both a latte and heading them to the benches.

“I shouldn’t yell at my Dad! It's not a good idea. He’s sick,” she says looking at her hands holding her coffee cup.

“I yelled at my dad while he was sick. And my kinda stepfather about work stuff,” Meredith says relating to the situation.

“Kinda stepfather?” she asks.

“Dr Webber had an affair with my mom. He used to look after me when I was little and hanging around the hospital. And I started my internship here and re-met him, he wanted to continue acting as my father. I didn’t know about the affair until I was back here. And I’ve yelled at him many times. It’s difficult to report to a father-figure at work,” Meredith says.

“Wow! And I thought my life was tough,” Andy says. Meredith and Andy sit while they finish their coffees, chatting about nothing much.

“Thanks again for re-centering me. And the coffee,” Andy says.

“No worries. See you around,” Meredith says as they head off in different directions.

* * *

“Welcome Lt Herrera,” says Maya Bishop as Andy walks into the Beanery at the beginning of the shift. Everyone turns and welcomes and congratulates Andy. They know how tough things are for her with her dad’s diagnosis, sick leave and cancer battle. 

“Look. My dad's always run things a certain way around here. He likes us to chase a rabbit on a track, but it's just a stupid trick to keep us all running, just a stupid prize, the Pole Day. I'm done chasing the rabbit. I am the rabbit. The rabbit runs because she loves it. I do this job because I love it. I don't need a prize. Every day here is the prize. Every life saved. Every fire put out. We're Seattle firefighters. Station 19 is where we choose to be. And that pole belongs to us. We earned it, one fire at a time. Which means forget how things are usually done. Every day is a damn Pole Day. Starting right now. Let's go.” Andy says addressing her friends, her family, her team on her first day as acting Captain.


End file.
